Pretoria - Bus loads of EFF supporters and others have arrived to participate in the protest outside the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) offices in Pretoria.
The protest was scheduled to start at 10am, however, an hour later, and people are still gathering at an off-site location about a kilometre away from Kirkness Street, where Sahpra offices are situated.
Tshwane Metro Police have been stationed in the area, with the city's Public Order Policing unit also present.
The @TMPDSafety have cordoned off the road outside Loftus Park where the @EFFSouthAfrica are preparing to protest outside the SAHPRA offices @IOL pic.twitter.com/6LyUsV5tNp
— Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) June 25, 2021
Earlier, members of the EFF began sanitising the podium where EFF leader Julius Malema is expected to address the gathering. The pavement and road where the gathering will take place was also sanitised.
The march has been criticised as it takes place during the third wave of the pandemic where gatherings have been sharply limited to prevent rising infections.
The party said it would follow Covid-19 regulations during the march. However, some of those seen in the buses were without face masks and not maintaining social distance.
As more people arrive on foot, some of them were also seen not wearing masks.
A group of protestors have started the march towards the cordoned off area outside @SAHPRA1 offices in Pretoria @IOL pic.twitter.com/9vBTFsV0fp
— Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) June 25, 2021
The EFF is demanding the Sahpra speed up the approval of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine and the Chinese Sinovac manufactured Coronavac vaccine.
Sahpra had indicated in February that it was reviewing applications linked to the Sinovac and Sputnik vaccines.
More bus loads of people arrive outside @SAHPRA1 offices where the @EFFSouthAfrica have planned a mass protest calling for the release of vaccines @IOL pic.twitter.com/ibIt41tLQN
— Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) June 25, 2021
The EFF has been critical of the government’s handling of the vaccination programme, saying more diverse vaccines should be procured. EFF leader Julius Malema said President Cyril Ramaphosa could not continue imposing lockdowns and should instead be providing vaccines.